Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-08-25

What an American Tcurizt Saw In q
Capital OF tho UhrnInc.


What an American Tcurizt Saw In the
Capital Of the Ukraine.
Kiew is'a fair type Of city life and
architecture IN tho Ukraine. To the
traveller who crosses the Dniopcr and
then turns suddenly round, the town
stands out in full panoramic view On
the left the verdure-clad slopes of the
mountain sink beneath the waters
edge and form rich background TO
tho gildcd spires, blue domes, and
white battlemcnted walls OF tho con-
vent Of the Laura of Pctschorsk nest
ling within its embrace. A little be-
hind these the dcepor-toned sides of
the ancient fortress guard the town
like crouching lion. In front the
houses of its maritime and business
sections seem rising out of the water
itself, and above them the church OF
St. Andrew crests its rock with an air
of conquest, like heavenly citadel Of
gold and marble, surmounted by n
cupola and florcated cross sparkling in
the suns rays These, too, are framed
in BY n perfect forest of domes and
bcll-towers rising one above the other
into the calm blue skies. Tho narrow
and twisting streets of the town having
disappeared in the disastrous fire Of
1911, gave space for such magnificent
modern buildings as the Imperial Pal
ace and the University Of Saint Wladi-
mir, and now Kiew is one Of the most
important commercial centers Of the
empire. The scene, however, at an
early hour of the day, in the Krest-
chatik, or chief street of the city be-
trayed the rough and simple habits Of
the townspeople. Artisans in coarse,
shabby clothes, workmen with dirty
boots, patched trousers and short
coats of sheepskin, torn and
greasy, were proceeding heavily
to their work. Shop boys in
Hght tunics were busy taking down
the shutters, and revealed behind. the
counters young women yelled in white
with blue or rcd kerchief arranged
coqucttishly on the head. Some youths,
with the build and dress Of Germans,
were drinking cafe au lait and reading
the foreign papers in a confectioner's
shop Stiff and solemn, like northern
gods, the portly drivers, in tb~'r AS
trakan caps or lOw-crowned hats, sat
erect on the seat of their little droskies,
drawn by big. strong horses, while
their thick grizzly boards rested on
their blue or dark green caftans.
Through the middle of the street,
peasants with bronzed features and
long hair struggling beneath their
sheepskin bonnets over their gray
wooden cloaks, drove large herds of
white oxen adorned with fine black
horns bent round over their foreheads.
Monks passed along concealing their
hands within the wide sleeves Of their
black robe, and wearing tall, serge
covered hats, the flaps of which hung
down over their necks like the head
dress of the ancient Assyrian priests.
Slattern servant-girls in short petticoats
and big clumsy shoes carried empty
baskets in their arms as they passed on,
with loud jokes and laughter, to the
market. The whole scene redolent
with the fumes of tea and tobacco, the
shops full of embossed arms, quaint
bracelets and other ornaments and of
various rich and bright eolored stuffs,
the brilliant metallic hues of the fish,
and the fruits and of the birds of varied
plumage, exposed for sale, all these
bore witness to the climate and habits
of life Of Little Russia.-IHterior.